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Apple’s next iPhone software could be the biggest upgrade in years, bringing a design overhaul that aligns with the company’s Vision Pro headset’s software. iOS 19, expected to be announced at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) and rolled out after the iPhone 17 launch sometime in September, will update the icon styles, menus, apps, windows, and system buttons, marking a major fundamental change since iOS 17.
Bloomberg has reported that Apple is currently working on simplifying how users navigate and control the iPhone and other devices, including the iPad and Mac. Since the design “is loosely based” on the Vision Pro’s platform, it is expected to ditch the ‘squircle’ design in favour of round-shaped app icons along with translucent effects in windows. The animations are also expected to change, alongside an under-the-hood overhaul that will improve the interface of the iPhone for “a new generation of users.”
The changes, however, will not be limited to just the iPhone. Apple will likely harmonise the tweaks across its product categories. That means the iOS 19, iPadOS 19 — internally codenamed “Luck” — and macOS 16 — codenamed “Cheer” — will have a similar design and cosmetic elements. While the report does not reveal what exactly these changes are, a look at visionOS shows elements such as more vivid colours in app icons, rounded corners, translucent panels, 3D depth, shadows, and simplified windows that could inspire the upcoming iOS, iPadOS, and macOS versions. However, whether the next software version of each device will bring performance improvements is unclear.
The overhaul, the report said, could allow Apple to merge its operating systems — something it has not done before. This way the long-running rumour of Apple sort of unifying iPadOS and macOS may come true, bridging the gaps between iPads and MacBooks. Apple had previously confirmed that iPads and MacBooks will continue to co-exist, which means their operating systems will have differences nonetheless. The new versions could also fit the aesthetics of visionOS, making everything seem seamless.
While the changes may have been conceptualised much earlier, the report claims the software upgrades could help Apple distract users from its failure to deliver on the deadline for the rollout of AI-infused Siri. Last week, Apple confirmed that AI upgrades for Siri are indefinitely delayed. The report also said the cosmetic changes to the software of the iPhone, iPad, and Mac could help spur demand for these devices after a pandemic-induced slowdown. For instance, Apple’s marquee product, the iPhone, saw an unprecedented dip in sales in the recent holiday season.
